Day 64: Steadfast Guardians: The German Shepherds of Baldpate

Our collection of memories would not be complete without including the canine contributions to Baldpate! The Smith family has been blessed to share life with a long line of German Shepherds. 

Perhaps the most famous, Duke, was a guest and employee favorite for many years. After a quick assessment, his friendly nature was soon evident in wagging tail. Unless, of course, you were up to no good, or you were the UPS delivery man. With a bark to deter any intruder or mischievous escapee, Duke was a formidable security officer, especially to errant chipmunks. However, even staff that were initially afraid, or came from a culture unaccustomed to having a dog around, found Duke to be endearing and sweet. 

Jen's German Shepherd Penny spent two summers at the Inn, usually found cleverly stealing unattended sandwiches from staff. 

Mackenzie’s German Shepherd, Leika, was often around the Inn, and despite photographic evidence, was very helpful! 
 

The Inn’s current resident German Shepherd is Moose.  At two and a half years, he still has some learning to do, but has undoubtedly captured our hearts. And some keys, as you can see! 

Other dogs that have spent time at The Baldpate Inn have been horseman Chuck Malone’s dog, Buster, and maintenance man Paul’s dogs, Brown Dog and Black Dog.  And of course, every rotational staff gets the chance to be dish dog! 

The Smith family is not the only one to connect Baldpate and German Shepherds as a key part of Baldpate! This photo of “Smo-key” the neighborhood pal was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Mace in 1937, and has secured a place in the Baldpate Key Collection since. 

Do you have a favorite memory of the furry friends that have made Baldpate such a special place?

Written by Liz Rodgers and Jen Macakanja

Day 56: What it Means to Experience The Baldpate Inn (National Encourage a Young Writer Day)

Being a 100-year old inn, The Baldpate has many unique qualities! It may be unlike anything you’ve experienced before. While there are many modern conveniences at the Inn (such as wi-fi and cell phone service), a visit is reminiscent of a charming step back in time. 

There is simply too much to fit into one blog, and since it’s National Encourage a Young Writer Day, I challenge you youngsters and young-at-heart to write your own experiences of The Baldpate Inn, with all its unique attributes (and I’m sure I’ve missed a few!) and share them with us. Here’s a few prompts. Haven’t had a chance to visit us yet? Check out our video tour. 

World famous Key Collection and curiosities

Fresh and healthy Soup and Salad Buffet, enjoyed on beautiful handmade stoneware

Rustic lodging (My favorite description comes from an early brochure, “All rooms in the Inn are equipped with hot and cold water.  We believe in “roughing it” with a degree of comfort. The relative enjoyment of a bath is not necessarily a matter of geography.”)

Three-course breakfast! (Do the cinnamon rolls need their own composition? Probably!) And if you’re not a Bed & Breakfast guest, don’t despair! Just make reservations for a special celebration of Breakfast at Baldpate!

Evening snacks and Peachy-Keen (Are you noticing a food theme? It is a Love Language, right?)

Views from the front deck and the porch swing

Library and movie time

Sun deck parties

Aspen autumn glory

KeyThedral Theater Productions

Photo and art collections (Stay tuned for more on our photo collection!)

Gift shop

Hand hewn log furniture

Fireplaces: the warmth, sight, smell, and sounds of wood crackling ablaze

Hummingbirds, wildlife and bears

Your own memories! 

While The Baldpate Inn means something different to each guest who visits, at the heart of it all is a desire to serve all with excellent hospitality. Your experience is certain to be a memory you will cherish especially if you write it down.

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 21: Chipmunks of Baldpate

Chipmunks occasionally make the list of most surprising encounters at The Baldpate Inn. Although not invited or encouraged, these little party-crashers tend to steal the hearts of all they meet, with their insatiable curiosity and charming antics. Cheeks stuffed full of food-for-later, they scamper with tails flying across the grounds of The Baldpate Inn.  With extreme dexterity and agility, gravity does not seem to apply to them as they scurry down trails and up trees. Their excitable chatter can be heard as they enjoy pine seeds from a pine cone or other treat. 

A few brave souls have attempted to gain entry to the Inn, undoubtedly hoping for a morsel of the delicious fare, or possibly to investigate a key or borrow a library book? But none have been granted permission to stay. 

As you may be aware, it’s unwise to feed wildlife, as it is unhealthy for the animals.  However, there’s certainly no rule against watching these endearing animals busy at work and play, and there are plenty of opportunities to do so while sipping some tea on the porch or enjoying some sun on the sun deck.  

Here are a few tips for observing and photographing chipmunks in the wild. 

Do you have a chipmunk memory you’d like to share from The Baldpate Inn?

Want to know the difference between a chipmunk and a ground squirrel anyway? 

 

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 16: Magestic Wildlife

One of the very best things about The Baldpate Inn being seven miles outside of the town of Estes Park is the wildlife that flourishes there. Surrounded by lush forests and Rocky Mountain National Park, a peaceful calm settles on the area. From daybreak to nightfall, wildlife thrives around The Baldpate Inn.

Can you spot the wildlife?

A lilting birdsong from a warbler warms the day. A rush of wind may bring with it the cry of eagles, circling above. Fish and aquatic fowl splash in nearby Lily Lake. The chirp of pikas echo around the rocks above the inn as butterflies float by. Many guests successfully seek out various wildlife, including elk, deer, beaver, and moose. Sometimes these large mammals are surprisingly good at blending in!

Wildlife may pop up quite unexpectedly. While on a hike around Lily Lake, I was quite startled by this deer enjoying his meal. It’s a lucky day when you have a surprise wildlife encounter, have your camera handy, and the lens cap is off! 

I recall a story of Jen driving up Highway 7 to The Baldpate Inn one dark evening, only to be very surprised by a bounding mountain lion, caught in the headlights of her trusty station wagon.  And then there was this moose that walked up the driveway in August of 2015! Howdy, folks!

As the day draws to a close, under the brightly twinkling starry skies, the hoot of an owl reminds us that the balance of life in nature continues even as we snuggle down under our quilts to sleep. 

Courtesy of NPS / Ann Schonlau

Encountering the grandeur of wildlife is one of the best surprises of life, and a common occurrence around The Baldpate Inn. Do you have a wildlife story to share? Tell us about it in the comments below. 

Written by Liz Rodgers